WSJ STORIES YOU SHOULDN’T MISSOFFICIALS PREDICTED DETAINEES WOULD REJOIN TALIBAN: Before the U.S. transferred five Afghan Taliban detainees to secure the freedom of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, American intelligence officials predicted that two of the men would return to their senior positions in the group. The classified report said two others would likely assume active roles in the Taliban, and just one of the five released prisoners was considered likely to end active participation. Julian E. Barnes and Siobhan Gorman report.

TAX-CUT PUSH NOT GOING AS EXPECTED: Two years ago, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback laid out an aggressive program of tax cuts to turn the slow-growing state into a Texas-like economic powerhouse—and serve as a model for Republican leaders in other states. But so far, the results are serving as more of a warning than anything else. Employment growth is below the national average, and Kansas faces plunging revenue, dwindling reserves and a rare debt downgrade. Mark Peters and Damian Paletta report.

IMMIGRATION TWIST IN COLORADO: During his first few terms in Congress, Republican Rep. Mike Coffman sounded like the immigration hard-liner his conservative Colorado district had been electing for years. But as he campaigns for a fourth House term in a district that has been dramatically transformed by immigrants, Mr. Coffman—who faces one of the toughest re-election battles this year—is urging Republicans to be more sensitive to immigrants’ concerns. Dan Frosch reports.

JERRY SEIB: FIVE QUESTIONS FOR CHUCK HAGEL ON THE PRISONER SWAP
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel will testify before the House Armed Services Committee today about the logistics surrounding the controversial release of five Taliban members in exchange for Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. This will be particularly interesting because Mr. Hagel is a decorated Army combat veteran. Washington Bureau Chief Jerry Seib offers five questions Mr. Hagel will likely be asked.

HERE’S A LOOK AT THE DAY AHEAD
–BERGDAHL SWAP:Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is expected to vigorously defend the swap that freed Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl when he goes before the House Armed Services Committee, in what is seen as a critical opportunity to allay political controversy over the trade in which five Taliban prisoners at Guantanamo Bay were released.

–BLACKWATER TRIAL:Jury selection begins in the trial of four former employees of Blackwater Worldwide charged in the deaths of 14 Iraqis who were killed in a 2007 Baghdad shootout. The employees are expected to argue they acted in self-defense on the September afternoon when they opened fire on vehicles driven by Iraqi civilians in the U.S.-controlled Green Zone.

–COMMENCEMENT: President Obama will deliver the commencement address at the Worcester Technical High School in Massachusetts.

WHAT WE’RE READING AROUND THE WEBHow did Rep. Eric Cantor lose in that shocking upset Tuesday night? Maybe he attacked his opponent, college professor David Brat, too hard in a deluge of television ads that only served to make voters familiar with a previously obscure opponent: “They gave me $1 million in name ID and I think that got us going,” Brat tells Politico’s Jake Sherman and Alex Isenstadt.

Meanwhile, Huffington Post’s Jon Ward says Cantor’s loss also can be traced back to a nasty fight Cantor’s forces had with conservatives in the Virginia state party over whether statewide nominations should be won at conventions, where grassroots conservatives have greater power, or in primary elections.

One reason Cantor lost, most observers agree, is that his opponent attacked him for supporting an immigration reform that would provide what critics call “amnesty” for illegal immigrants. Yet the Cantor defeat coincides with the release of a new Brookings survey on immigration that finds “majorities of self-identified Democrats (70%), independents (61%), and Republicans (51%) continue to favor a path to citizenship for immigrants living in the country illegally.”

MILESTONEJob openings climbed to 4.5 million in April, according to the Labor Department, the highest level in seven years. The rate of job openings climbed to 3.1% in April from 2.9% in March, also near a seven-year high.

TWEET OF THE DAY@VP: Three things we can do to grow the economy: 1) Invest in infrastructure 2) Build the most skilled workforce 3) Pass an immigration bill

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Washington Wire is one of the oldest standing features in American journalism. Since the Wire launched on Sept. 20, 1940, the Journal has offered readers an informal look at the capital. Now online, the Wire provides a succession of glimpses at what’s happening behind hot stories and warnings of what to watch for in the days ahead. The Wire is led by Reid J. Epstein, with contributions from the rest of the bureau. Washington Wire now also includes Think Tank, our home for outside analysis from policy and political thinkers.